1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrical connector terminal block means including a terminal block, an electronic module removably mounted on the terminal block, and a disconnect member that is movable between engaged and disengaged positions relative to the module to electrically connect and disconnect an electronic component within the module from one or more terminals on the terminal block.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
As shown by the German patent No. DE 41 21 836 C2, it has been proposed in the prior art to provide an electrical connector terminal block with disconnect means located in the upper area of the module. It is thus clearly visible from above the wiring plane of the terminal block, but this arrangement requires that portions of the internal bus bar connecting means must run upwardly and outwardly an appreciable distance from the terminal block connectors. One must create a rather complex disconnect point for exclusively performing this disconnect function, and depending on the layout, one must provide plug connections in the housing of the module for receiving the test plug means.
The present invention was developed to avoid the drawbacks of the prior art and to improve the module disconnecting and testing operations with the least possible structural effort and with minimal space requirements.